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David Oakley
| cityofbirth = Brampton, Ontario | countryofbirth = Canada | dateofdeath = | cityofdeath = | countryofdeath = | height = | position = Forward | currentclub = Vancouver Whitecaps | clubnumber = | youthyears = 2004-2007 | youthclubs = Toronto Varsity Blues | years = 2008-2010 2011-2012 2013-2014 2014-2018 2018- | clubs = TFC Academy Carolina RailHawks FC Chapman New Castle Vancouver Whitecaps | caps(goals) = | nationalyears = 2011- | nationalteam = Canada | nationalcaps(goals) = | manageryears = | managerclubs = }} David Neil Oakley (born May 25, 1986) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a striker for the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer, as well as the Canada men's national team. Early life Oakley was born in Brampton, a suburb of Toronto, and upon finishing high school attended the University of Toronto, where he played for the Varsity Blues soccer team. Club career TFC Academy Despite being ineligible for the MLS SuperDraft due to attending a Canadian university, Oakley secured a place on the TFC Academy senior team, the development team for MLS club Toronto FC. Oakley played for TFC Academy from 2008 to 2010 but was not offered a professional contract with Toronto FC and he began exploring other options. Carolina RailHawks Oakley played the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Carolina RailHawks of the NASL. He was in regular rotation in the first team and won the Supporters Cup with the club in 2011. FC Chapman Scouts from St. Gregory were reported to be visiting NASL matches during 2012, and in January 2013 – midway through the 2012-13 season – Oakley (by this time a free agent) signed with League A club FC Chapman. Despite being added for depth in a squad that also included accomplished forwards Jarrod Shannon and Kane O'Bray, Oakley made 14 appearances for the club and scored 5 goals. Shannon retired at the end of the season, elevating Oakley to a starting role alongside O'Bray for the 2013-14 League A season. Oakley struggled, however, as O'Bray scored 24 goals on the way to being the Player of the Year. Nevertheless, Oakley won the league and cup titles as part of the Chapman side that year. By the end of 2013-14, Oakley was third choice once more, having lost the second striker's role to youth product Mark Ramakers. Oakley told his followers on social media that he would likely be looking for a new club. New Castle After Oakley expressed his interest in joining a new club, several came calling and on August 14, 2014, it was reported that Oakley had signed with New Castle. Oakley said of his new club: :"For me, as a Canadian, as a Toronto guy... to play for a team called the Reds, to wear this color, that's a dream I never thought I'd realize when Toronto FC turned me down." On February 21, 2016, Oakley scored his first hat-trick for New Castle in a 2015-16 SGFA Cup fourth round victory over Zane Hills. New Castle won the match 3-2 despite trailing twice, and Oakley's last two goals came just 90 seconds apart. Oakley appeared in just 5 games in the first half of 2017-18 and failed to score. The club fired manager Mark Rae, who Oakley had been close with, on November 20, 2017, after a poor start to the season. Rae's departure led to rumors in the Gregorian football press that Oakley would depart the club at the end of 2017-18 or before. Vancouver Whitecaps On January 10, 2018, Oakley was sold to MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps for an undisclosed fee. Personal life Oakley wears a pink band on his left wrist at all times in honor of his mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. He is a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Category:Player pages Category:Players no longer with SGFA clubs Category:New Castle F.C. players Category:FC Chapman players Category:People from Canada